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D S m w M Ru m T T (No Model.)

No. 416,647. Patented Dec. 3, 1889.

lllllllllWI UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE,

THEODORE F. ROTCHFORD, OF \VASIIINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

THlLL-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 416,647, dated December 3, 1889.

Application filed March 20,1889. Serial No. 303,978. (No model) To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THEODORE F. ROTCH- FORD, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Thill-Couplings; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of said invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in that class of thill-couplings in which means are provided to prevent the rattling of the thills or shafts when the vehicle is in use, the object of my present improvements being not only to attain such a result in the simplest and best possible manner, but also to automatically hold said shafts or thills in an .upright position when the vehicle is not in use, in order that the same may occupy as little space as possible in the oarriagehouse, as

well as to facilitate the operation of harnessing an animal to the vehicle and preventing accidentalbreakage of the thills.

To these ends my invention consists, essentially, of athill-coupling provided with an adjustable ratchet-block having tapering projections upon its inner face, with which engage corresponding projections upon the end of the thill or shaft, the end of the shaft being held in proper relation to said ratchet-block within the coupling through the medium of a bolt having a resilientspring upon one side thereof, all as will be hereinafter fully described, and specifically designated in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 E, having notches a arranged around its in- -ner periphery for the reception of a correspondingly-notched and circular projection b upon one side of the ratchet block G. Upon the inner face of the block G is provided two V-shaped projections H, arranged opposite to each other and having tapering faces 0, as fully shown in Fig. 3.

The end of the thill I is provided with a thill-iron L, having projections M upon one side corresponding in size and shape to the projections I-I upon the ratchet-block G, and with which they are adapted to engage and interlock when the shafts or thills are in a raised position.

The ratchet-block is provided with a central perforation g, which registers with a similar perforation in the ear or lug D, and the transverse retaining-bolt K, which fits in these perforations, also passes through the eye N of the thill-iron and holds the latter in the proper position within the coupling to operate as above described. This bolt is provided at one end with an enlarged disk-shaped head k, which covers the outer end of the circular projection and excludes the dust from the notched opening E; The free end of the bolt is engaged by a suitable nut.

A flat resilient spring 0 is coiled on the bolt K, and bears at its ends, respectively, against the ear D and the adjacent side of the thilliron, whereby the latter is pressed toward the ear D, to normally hold its projections in engagement with the ratchet-block.

\Vhen the thills are in their horizontal or operative position and it is desired to lock them in the elevated position, it is simply necessary to raise them, and when the projections on the thill-iron pass the projections on the ratchet-block they will automatically engage therewith. To lower the thil1s,-it is necessary first to press them laterally (thereby compressing the'resilient spring) in order to disengage the projection.

When, by reason of their peculiar shape, the thills and the dash-board interfere with each other, so that the former cannot be elevated sufficiently to allow the projections to interlock, the ratchet-blocks, which are capable of rotary adjustment, should be removed, turned slightly, and replaced in a suitable position to permit the parts of the coupling to co-operate properly. This rotary adjustment of the ratchet-block is attained by the circular notched projection thereon, which fits in any desired position in the notched opening of the ear or lug D. V

The resilient spring which bears against the thill takes up the wear in the coupling, and thereby obviates lost motion and prevents rattling.

My improvements are capable of being readily applied to buggies of diiferent styles, as well as to other shaft-vehicles.

Having thus described my invention. what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

*1. In a thill-coupling, the combination, with an ear or lug D, provided with a notched opening, of the ratchet block provided with a notched projection fitting in the said opening and capable of rotary adjustment therein, and the thill-iron provided with projections to engage the ratchet-block, substantially as specified.

2. In a thin-coupling, the combination, with the parallel ears or lugs D D, of the ratchet-,

block provided Wit-h a notched projection fitting in a notched opening in the ear or lug D, the transverse retaining-bolt fitting in registering perforations in the ratchet-block and in the ear orlug D',and provided With an enlarged head to coverand exclude dirt from the notched opening in the ear 1), the thilliron mounted on the retaining-bolt and provided on one side with projections to engage the ratchet-block, and the resilient spring coiled on the said bolt and bearing against the thill-iron to press it toward the ratchetblock, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signatu regin presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THEODORE F. ROTCH FORD.

\Vitnesses:

PARKER H. SWEET, J12, R. ALLEN SWEET. 

